Rockets' McGrady to have surgery Tuesday

McGrady scheduled for season-ending surgery

Published 6:30 am, Monday, February 23, 2009

Tracy McGrady has missed 21 of the Rockets’ 56 games this season. The team is 15-6 in games without him.

Tracy McGrady has missed 21 of the Rockets’ 56 games this season. The team is 15-6 in games without him.

Photo: Nick De La Torre, Chronicle

Rockets' McGrady to have surgery Tuesday

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Tracy McGrady will undergo the procedure he and the Rockets spent nearly 10 months hoping to avoid.

In the most aggressive but uncertain remedy to McGrady’s left knee problems, McGrady will undergo season-ending microfracture surgery this morning that will keep him out for six to 12 months and comes with a risk, though slight, that he might not be able to return at all.

"In the worst case scenario, we’re recommending a procedure that is going to end his career," said Rockets team physician Dr. Tom Clanton, who will observe the surgery performed by Dr. Brian Cole today in Chicago. "It is always troubling to make that kind of recommendation with any athlete. We also know if they reach the point they say, "I can’t keep doing it like this,’ you got to do something to try to help them.

"It is a risky knee surgery. Not everybody that has microfracture surgery comes back and plays basketball, much less NBA level basketball. Tracy knows that."

The procedure is considered much less risky for McGrady because the joint surface damage unprotected by the usual amount of cartilage is less than a half centimeter, requiring less cartilage replacement, and because the lesion is on a non-weight-bearing bone beneath the kneecap.

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Clanton also was optimistic because he said McGrady has an otherwise "great looking" knee joint in the weight bearing parts of the joint, with normal ligaments and meniscus cartilages.

The surgery will create small holes in the bone at the base of the articular cartilage to allow blood to form clots with bone marrow elements that will produce a new cartilage surface.

McGrady had problems with the knee last season, requiring that the team remove fluid buildup and inject anti-inflammatory and lubrication solutions. Though the MRI last May showed the same level of cartilage damage evident now, arthroscopic surgery was performed May 6 to avoid microfracture surgery that would have kept him out most or all of this season.

McGrady announced that he would have the surgery on his website and issued an apology to Rockets organization, owner Leslie Alexander and coach Rick Adelman, who last week was critical of the way McGrady handled the announcement of his decision.

"I would like to apologize to Les Alexander, the Rockets organization, and of course all the fans out there for this entire situation. Les and the Rockets have been nothing short of amazing to me and my family during my entire time with them, and for that I thank them. The injuries have really taken a toll on me, and I can’t help but feel like I’m letting everyone down by not being out there with my teammates. I’m sorry to all those who were counting on me to help this team achieve great things. Coach (Rick) Adelman has been extremely accommodating and patient with me while we have tried to work through this, and I am thankful to him for that.

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"My personal focus now is to look forward and dedicate myself 100 percent to returning to the court and returning to be the player I was and know that I still am."